WHO Updates Essential Medicines List with New Treatments
The latest revisions prioritize advanced therapies for hepatitis C, various cancers, and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Cancer
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The World Health Organization expanded its Model List of Essential Medicines in April 2015 to include critical new treatments for several major global diseases. This update aims to improve clinical outcomes and ensure equitable access to high-impact therapies.
Why it matters
The revision is designed to address the urgent need for prioritized access to medicines that demonstrate clear, evidence-based clinical benefits. By updating the list, the WHO seeks to provide countries with a foundation for improving the availability of life-saving medical resources.
The committee evaluated 77 applications for medicines, adding 16 cancer treatments and 5 products for tuberculosis. These updates address global burdens including 150 million people living with hepatitis C and 1.5 million annual tuberculosis deaths.
The players
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.
The details
The WHO Expert Committee selected these medicines after reviewing evidence-based clinical and public health data gathered from 77 applications. While 16 new cancer drugs were added to the list, the committee explicitly rejected the inclusion of ranibizumab for severe eye diseases.
Timeline
Global cancer cases and deaths were measured during 2012.
Tuberculosis illness and mortality figures were recorded in 2013.
The Expert Committee meeting took place from April 20-24, 2015.
Health Landscape
The WHO Model List of Essential Medicines serves as a global benchmark for health systems to prioritize effective, affordable, and safe pharmaceutical treatments. This update modifies the existing list by incorporating new, evidence-validated treatments into the established framework.
The inclusion of these medicines on the list encourages national health systems to make advanced therapies for cancer and infectious diseases more accessible and affordable. Patients may see improved availability of standardized, high-efficacy treatments in public healthcare settings.
The takeaway
This systematic update ensures that medical standards reflect the most current clinical advancements. Healthcare systems globally utilize these guidelines to structure their procurement strategies for life-saving therapeutics.
Further reading
Learn more about global treatment initiatives on our Cancer page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Who.
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